Strong
by world-classgeek
Summary: Elrohir has to come to terms with the death of his twin...  T for character death.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the twins, Aragorn, Elrond, Rivendell, or any other recognizable people or places.**

**A/N: Something that's been in my head for a couplea days. Because of the timing of this story, Aragorn will be called Estel. This is A/U, but after Arwen and Estel have met each other. So Aragorn knows his name is really Aragorn, but he's still avoiding being called that. I'm rambling now...oh well... Oh, and to fans of my other stuff that you want me to finish, (my other LotR one, my Dr. Who one...) go and comment on them! Give me some ideas, people!**

Elrond straightened up from where he was kneeling at the bedside of his eldest son, Elladan. Elladan was only barely holding on to life. The massive wounds on Elladan's slender body were from orc blades, acquired in a fight, to save his brother's life. Elladan's breathing was ragged, and only rarely would his chest rise enough tell that he was still breathing. A slight pulse fluttered against Elrond's long fingers when he held them to his son's neck. Elrond sighed, and moved to Estel's bed.

Estel's face was pale, under his dark hair; almost as pale as the bandage wrapped around his forehead. But the young man was breathing regularly and his pulse was strong. He would be fine, as soon as he woke up. Elrond sighed, and brushed a stray lock of hair out of his foster-son's face, before moving to Elrohir.

Elrohir, the younger of the Elf Lord's twin sons, was fine except for a broken collar bone. Elrohir was asleep, having fainted after making sure his brothers were home. Elrond's nimble fingers set his son's collar bone, and bound Elrohir's arm to his chest. Elrond started back to Elladan's bed, and was partly there, when Glorfindel stopped him.

"You must rest, Elrond!" the golden-haired Elf said, his hands on Elrond's shoulders.

"I cannot, Glorfindel. You know I cannot rest while the life of one of my sons hangs in balance." Elrond replied, trying to push past his friend.

"Elrond," Glorfindel said, his voice low and sad. "You know that Elladan's wounds are mortal."

Elrond looked away, and did not meet Glorfindel's eyes. He pushed past his friend. "Do not take what little hope I have from me, Glorfindel." He knelt beside his firstborn son again, and took Elladan's hand. "I already lost his mother, and my own brother. I do not want to lose Elladan as well."

"Ada..." It was Elladan. The Elf's sliver eyes were dull with pain, and his impending death. "Ada..."

"I'm here, ion-nin." Elrond said.

Elladan took as deep of a breath as his wounds would allow. "Ada...Glorfindel...is right...I will...not make it...this time."

Elrond shook his head, willing himself not to believe that his son was dying. "No, you're going to life, Elladan. You're going to be fine."

"You know...that's not true...Ada." Elladan whispered, his eyes brimming with tears. "Tell Ro...I'll ...wait for him...He'll wake up...when I—"

"No!" Elrond interrupted. "You are not going to die, Elladan. You cannot." Even he knew how pitiful he sounded.

"Be there for Ro, Ada..." Elladan's voice was growing weaker and weaker. He squeezed his father's hand. "Go..."

Elrond let go of Elladan's hand and went to Elrohir, who was still asleep. He sat on the edge of Elrohir's bed, and took the hand that was not on the side of the broken collar bone.

_Elrohir was dreaming. He was wandering through his home of Rivendell. But where was his brother? Elrohir's chest hurt, like he had a broken collar bone, maybe, but he could move normally. He could hear his bother's voice, faintly, and far away. Where was Elladan? Or Estel, for that matter? He needed to make sure that they were safe. Those orcs had hurt Dan, they had hurt him badly. Where was Ada? He would know where Dan was. Suddenly, Elrohir turned a corner and was face to face with his brother. "Elladan!" he said in surprise._

_Elladan gave a weak smile. "Goodbye, my brother."_

"_Good bye? What do you mean? Elladan!" Elladan was beginning to fade. "No! Elladan! Don't leave! Elladan! No! Elladan!"_

"Elladan!" Elrohir cried out, as he sat bolt upright in his bed. He was immediately pushed back down by Elrond.

"Lay still, ion-nin!" Elrond commanded.

"Ada?" Elrohir said, his eyes wide and scared. "Where's Elladan? Is he okay?"

Elrond sighed. As a healer, he had had to be the one to break the news of the death of a loved one to the distraught family members. But he had never dreamed that the ones he would have have to tell would be his own children. Not after Celbrien...

Elrohir saw the look of grief in his father's eyes. "Dan...Dan is dead, isn't he?" The younger twin sat up. Elrond nodded. Elrohir looked stunned. "What about—" he couldn't finish his question about his foster brother.

"Estel is fine. He wasn't even hurt too badly." Elrond said. "You have a broken collar bone. It will heal in a few weeks."

"Can I see him, Ada?" Elrohir asked hesitantly. His father nodded. Elrohir went to Elladan's side. He brushed his brother's dark hair out of his face. Elladan's face was so cold. So very, very cold. "Goodbye, my brother..." Elrohir whispered. "Goodbye..."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Estel bit his lip as Elrond removed the stitches from his his forehead. "There we go." Elrond said. "That was the last one."

"So I can go now, Ada?" Estel said. Elrond nodded, and the young man slid down off the table. He walked slowly out of the healing wing, rubbing the new scar on his forehead. Arwen, Elrond's only daughter, joined him. She took his hand, and looked up into his face, her long fingers—so much like Elrond's—caressed the scar.

Estel blamed himself for Elladan's death, Elrond knew he did. Elrond worried about Estel and Elrohir. Elrohir had not cried when his twin had died. He had not shed a single tear since his brother's death. It was as if the younger twin had retreated inside of himself and locked his heart against all comfort.

XXXXXXXXXX

Elrohir placed the blue forget-me-nots on his brother's grave. His arm was still in a sling, but his collar bone didn't hurt anymore. He had not cried. He had not even fully come to terms with Elladan's death. It was as if it had happened to someone else, and not to him. He still found himself looking for something, and calling for his twin to come and help him, or be doing something and looking for Elladan to share the experience. He had held his sister—the baby of the family, Arwen—as she had wept for hours. He had seen his father's tears in the evening; he had heard Estel, sobbing into his pillow at night, in the room next to his. But Elrohir, the one who should have been the most affected by Elladan's death, his identical twin, the other half of the person that was the Elrondion twins, had not shed a single tear.

Elrohir sighed and stood up. He spun around as a twig cracked behind him. It was Estel. "Estel!" Elrohir said. "You scared me!"

"Sorry, Ro." Estel said. "I'll go."

"No, don't go. Estel, stay for a moment." Estel stood still. Elrohir frowned. "What's the matter, Estel?"

"It-it's my fault!" Estel looked up at his foster brother, his grey eyes, a different grey than Elrohir's, full of pain.

"What's your fault, Estel?"

"Elladan's death, Elrohir! It's my fault he died!"

Elrohir put his good hand on Estel's shoulder. "Never, ever, think that, Estel. It was _not_ your fault. Elladan died to save you, yes, but it was not your fault he died. I would have done the same thing, Estel. You are my brother and I would have done anything to save you, or Elladan. Just like Dan laid down his life so that you and I could live, just as you would quite willingly let yourself be killed if Dan, or I, or Arwen were in danger."

Estel turned red at the mention of Arwen's name. "What? What makes you think I have any attachment to Arwen?"

"Never mind why I think that. I know you do."

"Oh, Ro, you've been so strong for us. I've never seen you cry or even heard you crying at night. Dan was your twin!" Elrohir looked away. "Tears are not a sign of weakness, Ro. That's something Ada told me. He said tears are a sign of strength. That you have strength enough to love some someone enough that you want to go on for their sake."

Elrohir leaned against a tree, suddenly shaken by immense grief. "He's right, you know, Estel. Ada's right." Elrohir sank to the ground and he buried his face in his hands.

And finally, his tears came.

**A/N: Awwww...Aren't I evil? I killed Elladan! Oh well, it was a good story. Please review!**


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